OF the 41 ministers and heads of commissions named yesterday, 22 will hold portfolios for the first time. Their brief biographies follow: Chi Haotian (born 1929). A Shandong native, the protege of patriarch Mr Deng Xiaoping is also a member of the party's Central Military Commission, the army's highest organ. His position in the central government is considered to be ceremonial.
Chen Jinhua (1929). The former vice-mayor of Shanghai is a crony of Vice-Premier Mr Zhu Rongji and a reformer with a good track record. His transfer to the State Planning Commission, however, is considered a step down.
Wang Zhongyu (1933). The native and a former vice-governor of Jilin province is Mr Zhu's trouble-shooter and idea man. He was the First Vice-Director of the Economics and Trade Office, the forerunner of the Economics and Trade Commission.
Li Tieying (1936). A Minister of Economic Restructuring under ousted party chief Mr Zhao Ziyang, Mr Li has failed to live up to his earlier reputation as a reformist. Chinese sources doubt if he can be an effective implementer of radical reforms after re-assuming his old portfolio.
Zhu Kaixuan (1932). An aero-engineer by training, the Jiangsu native is considered close to Premier Mr Li Peng. However, he is believed to be less conservative than his predecessors as education chief.
Cao Qingze (1932). The Hunan native was formerly secretary-general of Sichuan province. He is one of the few regional cadres promoted to the central government in this reshuffle.
